


What's in a name?

by sjoy99



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 11:59:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11805558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sjoy99/pseuds/sjoy99
Summary: I wrote this for Shidge week and now I'm finally posting it here! I hope you enjoy!





	What's in a name?

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for Shidge week and now I'm finally posting it here! I hope you enjoy!

Shiro plopped down on the couch next to Pidge, awkwardly twiddling his thumbs. It was a few moments before he drew a quick, sharp breath, gathering the courage to ask “So, would you prefer it if I called you Pidge or Katie?”

Pidge looked up, somewhat startled. She had been consumed in her work, trying to decode some galra messages they had intercepted along a trip to one of the nearby solar systems.

“Uhm…well, I guess…I guess…"she trailed off. “Pidge is fine isn’t it?”

Shiro’s eyes softened, he could see right through her facade, just as he had the first time around. Although, admittedly, it took her saying that her father was Mr. Holt before it had registered with him. This time though, after all the time they’d spent together, he knew something wasn’t quite right.

“I don’t know. Is it fine?” Asked shiro.

Her lips formed a little pout as she testified “Yes! It’s perfectly fine. Call me Pidge! Pidge Gunderson! Pidge-on! Pidgey! Pidge Pidge Pidge!”

“Pidge…I didn’t mean to offend you its just that-” Shiro was cut short by Pidge’s exasperated response.

“Look Shiro I’m kind of busy here! You interrupted me in the middle of very important work!” She looked away furtively and began typing at warp speed once again.

Several moments passed while Shiro sat with his arms crossed before her typing slowed down. Clickclickclickclickclick click…click……click. And she stopped.

“I’m sorry Shiro. It’s just…how did you even know my name to begin with?”

“Your brother of course!”

“Matt? What on earth?”

“Matt was excited about a lot of things, you know. His rocket engineering, his ice samples, this and that. But man, the way he talked about you…his eyes were never brighter, Kati-I mean! Pidge!”

She was teary-eyed now. “No, Shiro, it’s okay,” she sniffed. “I don’t know why I’m such a hot head sometimes. It’s just…I don’t think I’m ready to be Katie again…you know?”

Shiro relaxed a bit on the couch, listening intently.

“Pidge is just a family nickname. I can’t even remember how or when it started. I’ll have to have Matt tell me when I see him again,” she smiled, “When I told everyone I was a girl, well, you were all so accepting. I was relieved, and yet…it was still so hard for me. So draining.”

Shiro was nodding along. He brought his legs up onto the couch and sat it criss-cross position, chin resting on his hands, soaking in all that she had to say.

“I didn’t really even make ‘Pidge’ up. Not the name. Not even my mannerisms really” she blushed, thinking of how she might now be interpreted if someone saw her picking her earwax or stealing those cookies as she had on the night of the Arusian celebration.

“Somehow it’s still screwing with me though. All I really did was cut my hair, and pop some fake lenses into a pair of matt’s spare glasses,” she chuckled, a tear rolling down her cheek. She wiped it off with her sleeve and sighed.

“I guess it doesn’t matter what you call me, Shiro. When we’re alone…Katie, Pidge, it all just blends together. I’m just me and I don’t care. But when I’m out there…” she pointed out the nearest window as stars drifted by, “out there I’m Pidge Gunderson. Paladin of the green lion and defender of the Universe. And I have to be okay with that. Because that’s the name I’ve made for myself. There’s no going back” she was looking down at her shoes now, more tears were rolling.

“That’s not true. Look. This is all just starting. This is a new beginning! You can be whoever you want to be!” Cried shiro sympathetically.

“Damn Shiro, when all this is over with you should really consider becoming a motivational speaker,” she laughed, wiping away more tears.

“I’m serious,” he smiled and paused for a moment, “All I’m trying to say is…you create yourself. You could become Pidge and never look back, and none of us would ever be bothered by it. It’s up to you. And it’s okay to not know what you want to do. Just know that I…that we all support you no matter what.”

Pidge dove in for a hug, rubbing her head into shiro’s chest as if she was trying to make a depression there, a spot for herself.

Shiro brought her closer in, her head now resting on his shoulder as he lightly stroked her hair.

“I’m not ready to be Katie again. Not with the group. Maybe just you, seeing as you already knew my name,” she blushed slightly,“ but just keep it between us, okay? Maybe I’ll get used to being Katie again little by little. And Matt…when I see him again. I’ll know then for sure,” she let go of the embrace, “Thanks, Shiro.”


End file.
